Naruto: Reign of Fire
by Thayerblue1
Summary: A crossover featuring Uzumaki Naruto and Rachel Summers. An AU starting during the Fourth Shinobi War; details inside.


_**Naruto: Reign of Fire **_

Blanket disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or the X-Men

LONG AUTHOR'S NOTE: This is based on my earlier oneshot Reign of Fire. The main characters are Rachel Anne Summers/Phoenix and Uzumaki Naruto. The basic premise is Naruto is transported into the Marvel Universe (Earth 616) from the battle during the climax of the Fourth Shinobi War. There are a few lines taken directly from the oneshot Reign of Fire here in the first chapter but the majority is all new. Everything will be completely new afterwards.

A couple of words of warning: I haven't read the X-men series of comics in over a decade and I no longer have them to reference so if I get some details off bare with me; I'm going from memory. Another thing is I really don't know modern X-Men lore. For instance; I know Rachel Summers/Phoenix became Rachel Grey/Marvel Girl/Prestige and who knows what after that. I don't know the full story behind it but I'm not concerned about it either since it's irrelevant to this story. In this story Rachel is still using the codename Phoenix but wears the red and yellow uniform with the spikes along with a red long coat (as in the profile picture). She also wears her hair shorter and often has it tied back in a braid. Also; the plotline and composition of the X-Men's lineup is pretty much my own. It will take place in modern times so there won't be the technology issues of the original oneshot Reign of Fire.

As for Naruto's timeline it takes place after the battle between Kakashi, Gai and Naruto vs. Obito in Naruto chapter 596. I'm tagging Naruto and Rachel as both approximately 17 years old. For the sake of references I'm using Narutopedia and the X-Men Wiki. Here is Chapter 1. Enjoy!

*⓪: Footnotes are at the bottom

[ ] signifies a foreign language

{ } signifies hand signs

Chapter 1

**_Xavier Institute for Higher Learning,_**** Westchester County, New York, United States**

At 1407 Graymalkin Lane in Salem Center was the _Xavier Institute for Higher Learning_, home of the X-Men. It was also nicknamed the _X-Mansion_. Here Professor Charles Xavier was using the Shi'ar computer technology to search for any clues as to the whereabouts of the new group of anti mutant cyborgs calling themselves the **Reavers**.*① He had determined from the technology the X-Men captured that they were using the same technology of Donald Pierce's Reavers but didn't seem to be full body cyborgs. The attack had come out of nowhere and the anti mutant group used paramilitary commando style tactics. Only two days before the X-Men were battling for their lives in New York City against the new incarnation of the Reavers and now the mutant hero group was trying to find out where the cyborgs had disappeared to….

"What else can go wrong?" grumbled the normally unflappable Professor X.

It was then the Professor Xavier's Cerebro detected something for a split second….An Omega Level Mutant.*②

….Then the Cerebro promptly blew up leaving Professor X to rebuild his masterpiece….**_again_**….

….

**New York Harbor, New York City**

A strange portal opened up and a person (?) that glowed like a star plummeted out of it and into the water with a tremendous splash….

….Moments later a young blonde man from the Elemental Nations splashed to the surface and was staring up goggle eyed at the bizarre sight before him. There was a colossal statue of a woman holding up a torch that was towering over him and beyond it was a massive metropolis that was far beyond anything he'd ever imagined. Genin Uzumaki Naruto had one overriding line of thought on his mind: "**_JUST WHAT THE FUCK DID YOU DO KAKASHI-SENSEI?!_**_ WHERE IN THE **HELL** AM I?!_" ….Okay, that was two thoughts actually.

….Naruto had been battling Tobi. Gai-sensei provided a distraction and Naruto tried to strike Tobi with a rasengan. The rasengan vanished in Kakashi's sharingan jutsu called kamui….and then what? The next thing Naruto knew was he was one hundred fifty feet in the air and falling down into the nasty water of this place; wherever it the hell it was….

"Any ideas Kurama?" asked the waterlogged blonde as he bobbed in the water regaining his strength. "I've never even seen pictures of a place like this….And the air seems so polluted here. It's like nature got stomped down or something judging by the foul chakra in the air."

Kurama was looking out through his partner's shocked eyes and couldn't believe it either. "**_I don't have any idea Naruto. Your stupid sensei was using a space time ninjutsu so we could have been sent through time or space OR both. In all my centuries of existence I've never seen anything like that city. To think you humans could create something so huge is both impressive and terrifying at the same time_**."

Naruto focused his chakra and climbed up onto the surface of the water before he started trudging over towards the island that had the big statue of the woman on it….

**….**

**Manhattan Island**

Rachel Summers (AKA Phoenix) was still recovering from the recent attack by the Reavers. The beautiful redhead hadn't been physically injured but was very fatigued. She was searching for any signs of the cyborgs and decided to stop for a bit as the search had been fruitless. Taking a break, the tired Phoenix was sitting on top of the Chrysler Building skyscraper and was overlooking New York's scenery….

Actually, her mind wasn't on the scenery at all. The people in the city below had no idea that a battle had even happened. They were oblivious to the fact the mutant heroes had risked their lives in mortal combat once again….sometimes Rachel wished she was just one of those mindless citizens below and didn't have to worry about robot invasions, terrorists, demons, super villains, aliens, evil mutants….the list went on. The truth was the redhead flew up to this high perch to tune everything out and vegetate. Her teammates were safe back at the X-Mansion and Rachel just wanted some alone time alone to think and get her mind off things.

That's when she sensed some psionic activity to the south of where she was. Tiredly calling on the powers of the Phoenix Force that permeated every fiber of her being; Rachel Summers telepathically zoomed in on the Statue of Liberty which was southwest of her location in Manhattan….

"Ellis Island…." muttered the beautiful redhead. "I'd better go check it out…."

….

**Ellis Island**

By this point in time Naruto was in nine tails chakra mode deflecting bullets off of him as armed people shouted at him in a language he didn't understand. Frankly the young jinchūriki was starting to get _pissed off_….

_Flashback…._

_Naruto water walked over to this island using normal chakra and soon people started shouting and pointing. Hadn't they ever seen someone water walk before? That's when several men in strange uniforms rushed down towards him as he came up on the shore. At first they were yelling at him angrily and then he saw them pointing the ends of metal tubes at him. He remembered the slow hunting weapons called guns back in the Elemental Nations. They were pretty useless against a ninja and made a lot of noise. He told the people to just leave him alone but then one of them shot at him. Naruto easily dodged the bullet but that caused the others to open fire en masse and the blonde ninja had to activate his fiery chakra cloak to deflect the hail of bullets raining down upon him…._

_Flashback End…._

Naruto yelled, ["You bastards had better stop this before I come over there and **make** you stop! I'm getting sick of this really fast."]

The captain of the guards said, "It must be one of them muties! He's come to destroy the Statue of Liberty! We have to stop him at all costs!"

Naruto was quickly losing his patience. ['_Who are these people and why are they attacking me? They look like a civilian militia or something. If I counterattack I'll probably kill them_.']

['**_I hate to say this Naruto but more of them are coming_**.'] said Kurama. ['**_You could probably knock them senseless with a wind jutsu and make them run_**.']

['_I really can't bring myself to risk civilian lives that way Kurama; I- Wait a minute! I sense a mass of sage chakra closing on us fast_.'] thought Naruto to his furry partner.

The guards and Naruto all looked up and saw a bird of fire blazing roar in above them….Phoenix was **angry**. She sensed the psychic presences and moods of these people and this apparent mutant hadn't done a damn thing that was even _remotely_ hostile and the stupid guards just attacked him without _any_ provocation at all. She'd seen this hatred in mutant purges in her own timeline….Rachel's gut reaction was to fry their fucking minds just to make an example of them. In the end it wouldn't solve anything though. Swooping down near Naruto; Rachel yelled to him over the gunfire, "Are you okay?!"

Naruto could tell this woman sage didn't seem to be hostile (she was using her chakra wings to shield them both). The problem was she spoke the same language that the people attacking him did. ["I don't understand you lady sage!"] he replied.

'_Was that Japanese?_' thought Rachel to herself. She struggled for a moment as she recalled the Japanese Professor X taught her psychically. ["Hello? Can you understand me? We have to get away from here!"] she said in clipped Japanese.

Naruto smiled and said ["Finally; someone I can talk to! How can we leave quickly?"]

Relieved that the (apparently) Japanese mutant understood her; Rachel said, ["I'm a telekinetic. I'll fly us out. Hold on!"]

["You're a tele-what?! _WHOA!_"] was the last thing Naruto yelled out before he was pulled off at incredible speed by Phoenix.

On Ellis Island below the guards were thinking they'd injured one or both of the mutants and forced them to run. "Stay out of our country muties!" yelled one of the guards in jubilation.

Rachel heard the parting shot of the 'victorious' guard and remembered part of the inscription on the Statue of Liberty….

_Give me your tired, your poor,  
Your huddled masses, yearning to breathe free,  
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore,  
Send these, the homeless, tempest tossed to me,  
I lift my lamp beside the golden door._

'…._What a joke_….' she thought bitterly to herself. '…._I guess it doesn't apply to mutants_….'

For his part Naruto was wondering just _how fast_ and _how high_ they were going to travel. ["Ummm….Just _where_ are we going lady sage?"] he asked in confusion.

Picking up on his worry Rachel smiled back at the young man who was cloaked in flames much like her own and replied, ["Don't worry. I'm going to circle around and land us someplace safe. I just had to get us away from them."]

Naruto nodded and let out a breath of relief. Letting himself relax a little bit; Naruto allowed his own sage chakra to mingle with that of Phoenix Force around him…._'It feels amazing_….' he thought to himself. '_She's really in tune with nature chakra, even more so than I am. I guess I'll just have to train harder_.'

For her part Rachel was **shocked**. '_The Phoenix Force….It **likes** him?!_' She could feel her energies interacting harmoniously with the man beside her. '_It feels like he's **meant** to be here. What **is** he…._?'

….

**Ellis Island**

The Captain of the guards was watching as his men celebrated driving off the mutants with a sense of grim satisfaction. He stepped into the shadow of the Statue of Liberty away from the other officers and slid open a tiny panel _built into his arm_ and began to speak into the apparatus. "Trace to Command; the unidentified male mutant escaped with the aid of the X-Men Codenamed **Phoenix**. We did not appear to have damaged either target with conventional weaponry and could not identify the abilities of the new target other than it displays some kind of shield and can walk on the surface of the water…."

"_You have done well Trace._ _Did you get a visual recording of this new mutant_?" asked a male voice on the communicator.

"Yes sir, I'm transmitting the video feed now." replied Trace. Hearing static for a few moments the officer asked. "Are we going to dispatch a hunter killer team to exterminate the pair?"

The voice of Command answered, "_We have no hunter killer teams available currently that are powerful enough to take on Codename **Phoenix** after our recent battle with the X-Men. We will have to remain vigilant and wait for the right time to strike. Remain at your post and continue to observe Trace. You are helping humanity build a better tomorrow. Command out_."

"Understood Command; Trace out." said the officer as he closed the panel on his arm. '_Those muties cost me my arm. I'll do my duty until the last of them is dead_….'

….

**Central Park, Manhattan Island **

Rachel zoomed downwards before a low level pull up and landed them out in a secluded area of a park where it was quiet. Setting Naruto safely on the ground, she immediately let go of her Phoenix form and said in a friendly manner, ["I go by Phoenix; what's your name?"]

The blonde ninja looked around the secluded area of the park before focusing back on the gorgeous redhead in front of him. [_Good **gods **she's beautiful!_] he thought. ["My name is Uzumaki Naruto and I'm in you debt for helping me with those civilians. You have my thanks Pheonix-san."]

Rachel was very curious about this young man. The amazing feelings she got through the Phoenix Force aside Naruto really didn't look all that Japanese and he looked to be around the same age as her. He had spiky blonde hair and blue eyes. Naruto had some Asian features about his face but in general he could blend in fairly easy as an American. '_He's rather handsome_.' she thought to herself. Noticing Naruto was looking at her confusedly; she smiled and said, ["I'm sorry Naruto-san, I spaced out a little bit. So where are you from originally? You speak Japanese but never would have guessed you were from Japan based on appearances."]

Naruto cocked an eyebrow. [I'm not from this 'Japan' place. I'm from Konoha in the Elemental Nations. I've never even heard of Japan. Where are we anyway? I've never seen any place like this massive city we are in and I've never heard the language they speak around here. What country is this?"]

Now it was Rachel's turn to raise her eyebrows. '_Elemental Nations? Is he from an alternate timeline or something like I am? Come to think of it those tattoos on his cheeks look like hound tattoos like I have on mine_….' ["Ummm….Naruto-san; we're in the United States of America and the main language here is English. Does any of that sound familiar? I've never heard of Konoha."]

Naruto scrunched up his face in concentration and Rachel thought it was rather cute. Then he said, ["Nope, I've never heard of either one. You may not have heard of Konoha because it's a Ninja Village. They aren't exactly known to everybody."]

["You're a ninja?"] asked Rachel surprised. '_He's wearing **orange**! Ninjas don't wear orange; or at least none I've seen do. Kitty wears dark colors and she has ninja training. I'll have to ask her_.' Then the redhead noticed he had kunai and shuriken holsters. '_Then again, maybe he is_….' ["I think you'd better conceal those weapons. It's illegal to carry them out in the open here."]

The blonde ninja nodded and quickly hid his gear inside his orange and black jacket. Then Naruto said, ["Well, one thing's for sure; I'm a stranger in a strange land. If you hadn't showed up I would probably still be on that island with the giant statue of that woman."]

Rachel laughed. '_Well, there's no doubt now if he doesn't recognize **that** statue._' ["That's called the Statue of Liberty Naruto-san. If you haven't heard of it then you really _aren't_ from around here. Maybe I can help you."]

Naruto grinned happily. ["You have a nice laugh. It would be great if you could help me out."]

Rachel smiled and blushed a tiny bit. ["Let's start by teaching you English. I can teach you telepathically but it may be a bit disorienting."]

Getting a rather pale look Naruto asked, ["It won't scramble my brains will it?"]

The redhead waved her hands. ["No, no! Of course not. Or at least I _hope_ not."]

Seeing the panicked look in her emerald green eyes Naruto said, ["So you can just teach my brain directly?"] Seeing her nod he thought aloud, ["Huh, sounds like a Yamanaka technique. Okay, let's try it."]

Surprised at his willingness, Rachel replied, ["Alright, just touch foreheads with me and close your eyes."]

Naruto blushed at the contact and closed his eyes. When he opened them he was in his mindscape with Kurama….and Rachel who was staring unabashedly at the multi story tall fox. ["**_Well hello there_**."] said Kurama to the redhead.

Rachel Summers had faced many things in her life but this was new. ["Ummm….Naruto; I didn't expect you to manifest here in your mind or have a giant fox in here with you…."] she said weakly.

["**_Should I leave you two lovebirds alone Naruto?_**"] asked Kurama obnoxiously. ["**_I never thought you'd bring a vixen in here to do 'that' but then again you humans have some odd fetishes I don't profess to understand_**."]

Both teens blushed atomic red and Naruto yelled, ["_Shut up Ero-Kitsune!_ Phoenix-chan is here to teach us her language you pervert!"] Rachel was too embarrassed to speak as Kurama laughed uproariously at the pair's expense.

Then Rachel glared furiously at Kurama in a way that reminded that ancient fox of Naruto's Mother Kushina. Kurama narrowed his eyes and said, ["**_You need to calm down girl. I'm here to protect Naruto if you try any mental attacks_**."]

She suddenly got a sheepish look on her face and said. ["I'm just here to help Naruto Mister….ummm, Fox."]

Naruto face palmed. ["Phoenix-chan; this large, obnoxious fuzzy creature is my partner Kurama, the Kyubi no Kitsune. Kurama, this is Phoenix-chan. Be nice to her."]

Kurama sighed melodramatically. ["**_You never let me have any fun Naruto. You are such a killjoy. Fine, I'll learn this new language since we're linked anyway. You may address me as the great and almighty Kurama-sama Phoenix-chan_**."]

["Just call him Kurama."] said Naruto with a sweat drop.

Rachel nodded weakly and said, ["It's nice to meet you Kurama-san"] Blocking the giant kitsune's chuckling out she said, ["I'll teach you English now Naruto-san"]

In a flash Naruto's eyes were open again back at the park. He blinked a couple of times and saw Phoenix smiling in front of him. She asked, "Can you understand me now Naruto?" in English.

Naruto returned her smiled and nodded. "What a rush! Just give me a few minutes to sit down here."

The couple was quietly talking as they sat on the grass when a police officer walked up. "Do you two kids have a _reason_ for lying on the ground in a public park?" he saw Rachel turn to him with an embarrassed look on her face. '_Damned hormonal teenagers._' he thought. "You and your boyfriend should take it somewhere private Miss." said the policeman sternly.

"I-it isn't like that!" stammered Rachel. "He was _really_ dizzy and I'm watching over him."

The officer walked over and shrugged before he said, "Let's get him over to a bench in the shade then."

Naruto really didn't need help but after sitting down at a bench near a fountain they both thanked the officer and the policeman soon went on his way. Rachel went over to a stand and bought them each a soda and Naruto got his first _really_ good look at her. In her red dress she was a bit racy but she certainly had the body to pull it off. She also was very beautiful with her red hair. She handed him a soda with a kind smile. "Are you okay?" she asked. "You were kind of spacing off."

'**_Just tell her you were lusting after her hot body and amazing curves Naruto_**.' supplied Kurama helpfully. '**_Those were your thoughts I believe_**.'

Naruto turned red as a boiled lobster and screamed mentally, '_Shut up Kurama; you are not helping!_' as he looked away from Rachel for a moment. Tuning out the fox's laughter; the ninja coughed. "Sorry Phoenix-chan; I got distracted."

"Just call me Rachel." she said.

"Rachel?" asked the blonde.

"Phoenix is my code name for when I'm using my powers. My actual name is Rachel Summers." she explained. "It's best to keep our powers hidden or people will react violently like they did at Ellis Island earlier." Seeing his look of confusion she added, "The Island with the Statue of Liberty."

Naruto's face scrunched up again in thought and then he nodded in understanding. "This is a strange country." said the blonde ninja.

"You don't know the half of it." replied the redhead with a smile.

The two sat and talked for some time and Rachel found the young blond man was very funny and a bit devious by nature. She honestly enjoyed talking with him. They really couldn't discuss much about their powers in public but she managed to get across that people with mutant powers were very prejudiced against so he shouldn't display any abilities that a normal civilian wouldn't have. Before she knew it Rachel had spent the entire afternoon talking and laughing with Naruto as they walked around together and she was feeling a lot better about things. His sunny disposition seemed to chase away her depression about the recent battle with the Reavers….

….

As the pair of teenagers sat together eating hot dogs (which were completely new to Naruto); Rachel laughed as the blonde sloppily got mustard on his nose. Realizing Naruto had no money and no place to go; she was considering taking him back to the X-Mansion to meet Professor Xavier. Rachel was about to call the Professor psychically when her biological*③ Mother Jean Grey-Summers worriedly called her via telepathy. '_Mom; is everything okay?_' asked the younger redhead.

Jean answered, '_Rachel; we've detected a **very powerful mutant** in your vicinity. We're using the Cerebro's backup unit because the primary one blew out_.'

'_You don't say_….' replied Phoenix as she stifled a giggle watching her companion shovel relish into his mouth with his fingers in an effort to not spill the food all over his orange jacket.

The older redhead sensed her daughter's amusement and asked irritably, '_What's so funny Rachel Summers?! You could be in serious danger!_'

Rachel mentally giggled and answered. '_The **very powerful mutant** is sitting beside me fighting a losing battle with a hot dog. Bwahaha! What a mess! I think I can handle him….He's really cute by the way…_.'

'**_W-W-WHAAAT?!_**' was Jean's reply.

….

**_Xavier Institute for Higher Learning_**

Scott Summers (AKA Cyclops) was a bit taken aback when his lovely wife Jean suddenly squawked "**_W-W-WHAAAT?!_**" at the top of her lungs.

The X-Men's field leader asked his wife, "Jean, what's wrong?"

The redhead turned to her husband and said in a flat tone, "Our dear daughter is laughing and having an early dinner with the Omega level mutant….She also says he's really cute…."

Scott sweat dropped. "….What else did she say?"

"The young man hasn't ever eaten a hot dog before in his life and is making a terrible mess of himself." replied Jean. "I think she's laughing herself sick…."

….

**Central Park, Manhattan Island**

Rachel helped Naruto get cleaned up at a drinking fountain as she giggled. "Remind me next time to bring a bigger handkerchief." said the redhead smiling.

The blonde grinned sheepishly and said; "Sorry; I guess I need some practice eating those things."

The young couple was soon walking along discussing the possibility of Naruto going to the X-Mansion when (of all things) a _flasher_ came racing up and showed them his fishing tackle….

"….What do you know; a sexual deviant." said Rachel in a flat tone. _She was less than impressed_.

Naruto moved like lightning and smacked the pickpocket behind them reaching for Rachel's purse from behind. The thief was unconscious before he hit the ground. Naruto glared at the dumbfounded flasher who suddenly looked very worried that his distraction didn't work. "What are you going to do now that your partner is knocked out?" asked the blonde.

Rachel shook her head and said, "Just take your buddy and go tic-tac. We don't have time for your antics."

_….A few moments later…._

"So does that happen often in these parts?" asked Naruto warily.

The redhead shrugged. "I have to admit that was a new one on me." she said with a grimace.

The blonde asked, "By the way, what's a tic-tac…?"

…._The whole park heard Naruto roar with laughter at Rachel's tic-tac explanation a minute later_….

….

**_Xavier Institute for Higher Learning_**

Soon Jean and Scott were talking to Professor Xavier. "So we instructed Rachel to bring the new mutant here." explained Scott. "His name is Uzumaki Naruto and he apparently has no other place to go. He's ninja trained and she thinks he's from an alternate reality Japan."

Professor X raised his eyebrows. "It's not like Rachel to openly trust someone so quickly. Of course, she is a very powerful telepath…."

"I'm sure we can trust her judgment on this matter." said Jean brightly. "Besides, she could use more friends around her own age."

….

….Soon there were a few rumors travelling around the X-Mansion about a possible new, cute guy. Amara Aquilla (AKA Magma) was sitting with Jubilation Lee (AKA Jubilee), Kitty Pryde (AKA Shadowcat) and Anna Marie (AKA Rogue). Jubilee said, "I can't imagine what Rachel's idea of a good looking guy is. I always thought she was kind of picky. What do you think Kitty?"

Kitty grinned and replied, "I've been roommates with Ray since we were in Excalibur and I still don't understand her taste in men. If she says he's cute then he may be a real hottie by my standards….She usually has to fight guys off instead of trying to attract them…._Must be nice_…." She added acidly.

Rogue laughed at Kitty's sour look. "Sugar, it can't hurt to have another guy around that is easy on the eyes." *④

"I wonder what kind of powers he has." said Amara. "Scott said the Cerebro **_blew out_** when it detected him."

"I know." said Kitty. "It would probably be best to be a bit cautious with him at first. But then again we don't want to make him feel unwelcome…."

….

**Westchester County, New York **

Naruto and Rachel caught the train from Manhattan to Westchester County. It was rather novel for the orange loving ninja since he'd seen trains in Snow Country before but he'd never actually ridden in one. The blonde was looking out the window at the sunset as he talked to his nine tailed partner. '_What are we going to do Kurama? There's a war going on and we need to get back home!_'

'**_We don't know when or where we are in space and time Naruto_**.' replied Kurama. '**_We have to figure that out before we even attempt to get back home. We need to stay calm and accept the fact that we are stuck for now_**.'

'_I guess you're right_.' thought Naruto forlornly. '_Maybe this Professor Xavier can help us out_.'

Rachel glanced over at her companion and was studying his profile in the light of the setting sun. It was obvious the blonde was in deep thought. '_I wonder what he's thinking about_. _He's probably worried about getting home wherever that is_….' "Naruto, I know you're worried but I'm sure Professor Xavier will try to help you….I will too." she added with a soft smile.

Naruto turned to Rachel and his azure eyes met her emerald ones….Any words he had died in his throat. Rachel was going to say something but was also under the magnetic spell that had captured them both. The two teens were completely mesmerized in the setting sunlight and they slowly started reaching towards one another….

"….STATION! NEXT STOP PURDY'S TRAIN STATION!" blared the overhead.

Both Rachel and Naruto jolted and the spell was broken….

The redhead said in a weak voice, "T-this is our stop Naruto….Our ride should be here." '…._His eyes….they are devastating! I need to be careful_….'

"Ummm….Y-yeah, let's go Rachel." replied Naruto. He was no better. The blonde felt like his brain had melted into mush staring into her green eyes. '…._What an amazing woman_….' he thought.

….

**Reaver's Base, New York City**

The human cyborg Donald Pierce was watching the video file on Naruto and really couldn't discern much of anything about the new mutant. He growled to himself, "No doubt that mutant scum is safely under the protection of Charles Xavier by now. Damn."

Lady Deathstrike*⑤ was leaning in the doorway wondering what powers this new mutant might have. Yuriko personally wasn't anti mutant like the rest of the Reavers but the pay was good so she was acting as a mercenary for Donald Pierce and his little posse of mutant haters. Besides; she had a vendetta against the X-Man Wolverine and saw this as a good opportunity to take him out of the picture.

Donald smiled at her and asked, "What do you think of this new target my dear? I'd love to hear your expert opinion as a skilled assassin."

Yuriko wanted to gag at Pierce's efforts to sweet talk her. The man couldn't take a hint that she _really_ disliked him. Donald gave her a greasy smile and brought the image of Naruto up on the big screen and zoomed in on the blonde. Lady Deathstrike smiled at Naruto's Asian features and said, "He's quite handsome. The facial tattoos make him look like a kitsune." The Japanese cyborg kept a straight face but inside she was chortling at the horrified/constipated/enraged/jealous look on Donald's smarmy face.

After tamping down his anger; Pierce laughed weakly and said, "Ehehe….You have such a wonderful sense of humor my dearest. You know he isn't a human being like you or I. He's just an animal; a filthy mutant…."

As Donald Pierce extolled his views of the virtues of humanity verses the evils of mutantkind; Lady Deathstrike mentally groaned to herself, '_I'm beginning to think this job doesn't pay **nearly** enough_….'

….

POSTSCRIPT:

*①: Reavers: This is an anti mutant group of cyborgs that have had several incarnations in the Marvel Universe. This particular lineup is just your author's interpretation of that group and contains many OC's.

*②: Omega Level Mutants: They are mutants whose dominant power does not have a definable upper limit. Examples are Jean Grey, Storm and Magneto. Rachel Summers has also been identified this way by the Sentinel Nimrod.

*③: Rachel is originally from an alternate timeline (Earth-811) and is Scott and Jean Summer's biological child. This story takes place after Jean accepts Rachel as her daughter.

*④: For those who haven't read my other stuff; I keep accents to a minimum. They play havoc on spell check and reveal just how inept your author is at accents in general.

*⑤: Oyama Yuriko (AKA Lady Deathstrike/Deathstryke) is (currently) nothing but a digital consciousness now in Marvel Universe but this takes place before that happened.

Well, that sets up the basic premise. No major battles (yet) but at least the protagonists and antagonists for the first arc are set up. Next chapter we'll see Naruto and Rachel arrive at the X-Mansion. See you next time. Blue out. 2/3/20


End file.
